One
year ago, I made my Cursillo weekend: Trenton 125! It’s been an amazing spiritual journey as I
continue to live out my fourth day. Also
within the last year, I had the privilege of working on the team for Trenton
126. Several personal obstacles tried to
get in the way of me working with the team that weekend, but the Lord cleared
the way, I said yes, and Rick, Al and others supported me and helped me join the
great men of Trenton 126. What a year.
Today
I want to speak to you about the importance of study in our lives as Christians. In my view, it is the foundation of the
Cursillo movement. Study can take many
forms: reading; listening; and speaking.
Every person is different, and study may mean different things to
different people. The key is to develop
study habits and to dedicate a set amount of time on a regular basis to
studying the principles of our Catholic faith.
It does not have to be a lot of time; even a few minutes could suffice.
Why
is this so important? Study is a
mechanism to develop tools to successfully address the challenges that life
throws at us every day. As Matthew Kelly
says, life is messy. When we are
equipped with the tools of our faith, and a vibrant spiritual life, we are more
prepared to handle the mess that life can create from time to time. Health challenges, family dynamics,
relationship troubles, work stress, etc.
The list goes on and on. Studying
our faith gives us the knowledge to combat these difficulties and to create
hope in times of distress.
As
noted, study can take many forms. At the
most fundamental level, it is reading scripture. That is an essential part of the study
process. Everything grows from that
starting point. Beyond that, there are
endless spiritual guides, such as the Dynamic Catholic series of books and
videos, which provide practical daily lessons on Catholicism and creating hope
in our lives through Christian methods.
Study
is particularly important in my life because I am an attorney and, as an
attorney, I spend significant periods of time studying the law and then applying
it to the facts of a particular case.
Being successful in law requires a relentless commitment to study. The purpose of such rigorous study is to be
as prepared as possible in handling a case.
Study in our spiritual lives serves a similar purpose – being prepared
to address life’s challenges through Christian methods. It also prepares us to go out into our
communities and have a positive impact.
In
thinking about study, I note that today’s young adults are part of an
information generation. We should
consider ways to better deliver the Catholic message to the younger
generations. Social media, webinars, and
other forms of electronic communications can be effective ways of sharing our
message and the study aspect of our faith.
In
closing, my Lenten challenge to each of you is to increase your study habits
over the next few weeks (in addition to, say, giving up sweets, coffee, or
wine!). If you do not have a set routine
of studying our faith and learning more about it, try to start a routine. Spend 10-15 minutes each day reading anything
you elect to read that you believe will help your spiritual growth. If you already have such a routine, try to add
to it or just maintain it during Lent.
Thank
you, God bless and DeColores.
Nick
Grippo
